Bush child-care funding will be inadequate

February 24, 2004|The Morning Call

In a Feb. 15 letter, Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services Wade F. Horn states that welfare bills being considered by Congress contain "child care funding increases that are more than ample to account for increased work needs." But child care is not just about welfare recipients meeting new work requirements. Today, without new work requirements, there are almost 3,000 eligible Pennsylvania children on waiting lists for child care subsidies.

Both the House and Senate bills would make only $1 billion of new guaranteed funding for child care available over five years. However, Horn does not mention that the new work requirements in the House bill would increase states' costs between $3 billion and $9 billion over five years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Child care supports parents' work, helps low-income families stay off welfare and promotes healthy child development. Without additional funding -- beyond what would be needed to meet new welfare work requirements -- the number of children on Pennsylvania's waiting list (and similar lists around the country) will continue to grow. This administration must acknowledge the reality that thousands of families face daily. Child-care funding must be increased.